Spring Hiring Kicks Off at Lowe's

Home improvement retailer Lowe's Companies Inc. (NYSE: LOW) said today that it plans to hire about 45,000 seasonal employees at its U.S. stores this spring. The company also plans to add another 9,000 permanent, part-time employees during its busiest selling season of the year.

Seasonal employment hours vary and the season runs from February through September, depending on the location.

Last year Lowe's hired about 40,000 seasonal workers and larger competitor Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) hired about 110,000. Home Depot has not yet announced its hiring plans for this year.

The 9,000 permanent, part-time hires are being added to provide "direct interaction and expertise" for Lowe's customers, according to the company's announcement.

Last September Lowe's gave up on its $1.8 billion hostile takeover attempt for Canada's Rona Inc. and shares have risen since then from around $29 to more than $37. In fact, Lowe's shares posted a new 52-week high today at $37.41. The prior range was $24.76 to $37.15.